Rail-joint.



J. SITKU.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-22| 1917. 1,281,440.,

Patented June 26, 1917.

, 2 f Y 'i v I I E T l 1% E@ l 56 mw., wAsmNa wn. nA c` TATE@ PATENT Olllllllltli JOHN SITKO, OF FORT AYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO LUDWIK SITKO AND ONE-THIRD TO FRANCISZEK STKO, BOTH OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1.@11?.

Application filed January 22, 1917. Serial No. 143,616.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN SITKO, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Fort TWayne, in the county of Allen and State of Ii'idiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

rthis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rail joints.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a joining means for railway rails whereby the rails are locked together intrack formation without the necessity of employing any bolts, screws, spikes or other similar members which are adapted to work loose and become detached.

A further object of the device is the provision of an interlocking rail joint having a releasable securing means whereby the adjacent rails are readily secured and released while in longitudinal alinement with each other, the entire structure possessing great strength and serviceability under the varying traitic conditions of the railway line.

il ith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then claimed.

ln the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in its locked arrangement illustrated 'in connection with the adjacent end portions of railway rails, the securing means being shown by dotted lines in its released position.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view taken upon the line HMH of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical transverse sectional views taken upon lines III-III and lV-IV respectively, of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 5 is a slightly enlarged detail view through the engaging side of the securing means.

It being understood that the present rail joint is designed for locking together the adjacent ends of railway rails in their operative arrangement, the same is herein illustratcd in connection with the adjacent end portions of rails and 11 of the usual construction.

The contacting end portions of the rails 10 and 11 are complementally formed for interlocking arrangement, the terminal portion of the tread 12 of the rail 10 being removed and the web 13 thereof having its terminal portion 1l of slightly greater height than tl e main portion of the web and provided with a rectangular seat or notch 15 while grooves 1G are arranged in the base 17 of the rail 10 at the bottom of the web portion 123 of the said rail. The complementally formed end of the rail 11 provides a thickened terminal web portion 1S having a slot 19 therein formed with a terminal block 20, the web extension 1l of the rail 10 being adapted for insertion within the slot 19 with the block Q0 resting within the notch 15 of said extension and with the adjacent ends of the tread 1Q of the rail 10 and the tread 21 of the rail ll in substantial contact with each other.

The terminal portion of the base Q2 of the rail l1 is cut-away providing free lower edges 23 for the sides of the web portion 1S of the rail 11, which lower edges are adapted to seat within the opposite grooves of the base 17 of the rail 10 when the device is operatively arranged and at which times the adjacent ends of the rail bases 17 and 22 are substantially in contact with each other. An enlargement forming opposite shoulders 21: is provided at the free end of the web 15% of the rail 10, the free ends of the sides of the web portion 18 being substantially in Contact with such shoulders when the rails are in their interlocked positions.

It will be understood that when the rails are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, without the employment of the securing member 25 which is mounted upon the bases of the rails, the engaging ends may be readily released by moving the rail 11 vertically, thereby separating the same from the rail 10 while the seating interlocking engagement of the rail 11 with the rail 10 is readily accomplished by reversing the said opera-tion.

The aforementioned securing means is substantially U-shaped in cross-section having inwardly extending top flanges 2G adapted for overlying the opposite edges of the bases 17 and 22 of the rails, it being noted that the member 25 is slidably arranged upon the said rail bases within longitudinal recesses 27 arranged in the outer edges of said bases, the ends 2S of said recesses forming stop shoulders for the longitudinal sliding movement of the member 25.

A spring latch 29 is carried within a socket 30 of one of the flanges 26 of the securing member, said latch 'adapted for seating within a keeper opening 3l in the base 22 of the rail 11 when the securing member is in its released position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The latch 29 is adapted for springing in engagement within a similar keeper opening 32 in the base 17 of the rail lO when the member 25 is in its securing position overlying the adjacent end portions of the bases I7 and 22 and in which position it will be seen that it will be impossible to either elevate or lower one of the rails l0 and 1l relatively with respect to the other or in other words, the rails cannot be separate, when the member 25 is in its securing position as shown in the drawing. A lateral extension of the socket 8O permits the latch 29 to be grasped or engaged by a convenient tool (not shown) for releasing the same from either of the keeper openings with which the same may be engaged. While said latch 29 is adapted for retaining the securing member 25 in place, a lock bolt 34 may be provided through one of the flanges 2G for threaded engagement with an opening 35 in the base 22 of the rail 11 when desired to make the arrangement more secure. The bolt 34 may also be employed for retaining the member 25 in its inoperative position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawing for such purposes as transportation by threading the bolt 34 into a perforation 36 in the said base 22 of the rail Il.

The manner of assembling the rails formed as herein described has already been set forth and the complete operation of the device will now be apparent in view of the foregoing description of the operation of the securing member 25 and while the present embodiment of the device is believed to be preferable, minor changes may be made if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new iszl. In combination with rails having the vbase flanges at the ends of said rails provided with marginal recesses, a securing member partially inclosing the bases of the rails slidably mounted thereon within the said recesses and adapted to overlie the ends of the adjacent rail bases when the rails are in their assembled relations, the end portions of said bases being provided with keeper openings, a spring latch carried by said securing means adapted for seating within one of said openings when the securing means is in its operative position and in the other of said openings when in its released position inclosing the base of only one of said rails.

2. In combination with rails having the base iianges at the ends of said rails provided with marginal recesses, a securing member partially inclosing the bases of the rails slidably mounted thereon within the said recesses and adapted to overlie the ends of the adjacent rail bases when the rails are in their assembled relations, the end portions of said bases being provided with keeper openings, a spring latch carried by said securing means adapted for seating within one oif said openings when the securing means is in its operative position and in the other of said openings when inits res leased position inclosing the base of only one of said rails, and a locking bolt carried by said securing means adapted for adjustable engagement with one of said rails when the securing means is in its operative or inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JOHN SITKO.

i Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

